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Kirkham, Ben H

Ben Howard Kirkham was born on 27 May and baptised with his twin sister Ada Howard Kirkham on 11 June 1896 at St John the Baptist Church, Penistone, West Yorkshire, the son of Ruth and Sampson Kirkham, a farmer of School Wells, Thurlstone, near Penistone. In 1901, four-year-old Ben was living at School Wells, Thurlstone, with his parents and siblings Ann and John (twins aged 6), Ada (4), and Ruth (2).

By 1911 the family had moved to Cut Thorn Farm, Wildboarclough, where fourteen-year-old Ben was helping his father on the farm. During and after the Great War, the family lived at various locations in Wildboarclough including Dry Knowl, Eagle and Child Cottage, and Burnt Cliffe.

WW1 SERVICE

Ben enlisted in Macclesfield, joining the 1st Cheshire Regiment. According to his medal entitlement, he did not serve overseas until after 1915.

The deaths of Ben and his brother John were commemorated by ‘In Memoriam’ notices published in the Macclesfield Courier on 5 October 1918:

KIRKHAM – In loving memory of Private Ben Howard Kirkham, who was killed in France October 4th 1917. Also his brother, Private John Kirkham, killed October 5th, 1917, in France; both of Dry Knowl, Wildboarclough.

Sleep on, dear brothers, we would not wake you,
Sorrow and care would darken your brow,
Peace be your sleep while angels are near you,
No earthly sorrow can come to you now,
So sad, but so true, we cannot tell why,
The best are the first that are called to die.